Real Money

5 Reasons to Pick Pumpkin Beer

Pumpkin beer has grown from a novelty to a respectable seasonal brew.

Jolly Pumpkin Brewing's La ParcelaBeerAdvocate rating: B+ RateBeer Rating: 97 of 100 When you have pumpkin right there in the name of the brewery, brewing a weak pumpkin beer isn't advised.

Dexter, Mich.-based brewer Jolly Pumpkin didn't brew a pumpkin beer for several years, but the only pumpkin ale it brews doesn't disappoint. Though teeming with touches of cinnamon, allspice and pumpkin, La Parcela can taste a bit like an orange-infused wheat beer when it first hits the tongue.

A little bit of cocoa in the mix makes a lot of difference in this surprisingly sweet brew, but the underrated draw is its 5.9% ABV that's remarkably low for a beer this bold. It's good for savoring on a cool fall evening, but much better as the bring-your-own sixer for a friend's Halloween function.